Shoe



Nov. 17, 1936- L. s. MACDONALD ET AL 2,051,540

shoE

Filed Dec.

jzverrt'o m 5, Mazda Lara Patented Nov. 17, 1936 SHOE Laurie S.Macdonald and Joseph E. Small, Brockton, Mass, assignors to ThompsonBros. Shoe 00., Brockton, Mass,

' chusetts a corporation of Massa- Application December 11, 1933, SerialNo. 701,821

3 Claims.

This invention relates to .boots and shoes and is particularly intendedto overcome certain faults or objectionable features often experiencedby the wearer of shoes, particularly when the leather vamp of the shoebecomes wet and creased.

The constant flexing of the foot in walking necessitates a correspondingflexing across the top of the vamp between the rear edge of the usualtoe cap and the seam that joins the quarters to the vamp in front of theinstep of the foot. Oftentimes when the leather vamp is at all stiff orheavy, and particularly after the shoe has dried after being wet,creases extending across the top of the vamp at the above describedlocation become more or less fixed or set and cause much discomfort bytheir pressure upon the foot across the inside ball portion thereof.

It has been proposed to insert in the shoe, beneath the vamp, a strip offabric that has been provided with stiffening means, either throughsizing or glazing or otherwise to resist this tendency to wrinkle, butin practice such expedients are found to be unsatisfactory because thewrinkling of the upper and of any inserted lining must occur wheneverthe foot is flexed and the stiffer the fabric is made at this point themore uncomfortable will be the wrinkles or creases formed by therepeated flexing.

The present invention overcomes this trouble by providing an insert ofan entirely different character which does not endeavor to resist thewrinkling or creasing of the upper, but which is made of a soft,yielding or compressible material which readily absorbs the pressure atthe bottom of each wrinkle or crease by reason of the compressibility ofthe material inserted and also serves to distribute what little pressureis transmitted through it over a wider area, so that it serves thepurpose of a cushion pad. The pad is preferably provided withperforations to facilitate ventilation and drying out of the foot orother moisture and, as it opposes no substantial resistance to theflexing of the upper its presence is not noticed by the wearer of theshoe. These and other features of the invention will be particularlydescribed in the following specification and will be defined in theclaims hereto annexed.

In the drawing is illustrated a specific form embodying the principlesof this invention, in which Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a shoeprovided with this improvement, the vampbeing partly broken away toexpose the interior.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the construction showninFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view on the plane indicated by broken line33 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the cushion pad or insertconstruction before its insertion.

In the drawing we have illustrated a well known type of shoe comprisingthe vamp I, the

toe cap 2 provided with a well known doubler lining 3 and the usualinner lining 4, although the doubler lining is of course not essential.Before the upper is stitched to the insole 5 by the weltattachingstitches 9 in accordance with any usual or well known practice, there isinserted between the inner lining 4 and the upper a pad ID of softfelted fiber, which has suificient length to extend down to the bottomedge of the upper and lining to receive the welt-attaching stitching 9and extend upward therefrom around and forwardly of the inside ballportion of the foot to somewhat beyond the medial longitudinal line ofthe shoe, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. This pad [0 preferably has itsedges skived to a thin edge, as at In, to avoid forming any ridges orshoulders that would be objectionable and is also preferably provided atfrequent intervals with perforations II to aid in ventilating the footand to facilitate the quick drying out of the pad or insert in case anymoisture should be absorbed thereby. The material of which the insert orpad is made preferably consists of loosely felted textile fibers,preferably wool fibers, the object being to form a readily compressiblepad which will absorb through its yielding qualities the greater part ofthe pressure from the creases or wrinkles in the overlying portion ofthe upper. Such a pad does not interfere with, or resist, the flexingaction of the shoe which must take place when the foot, to which it isfitted, flexes or bends as in walking, but does absorb and distributethe pressure of the wrinkle or crease so as to completely avoid anydiscomfort to the foot of the wearer.

To prevent temporary displacement before the pad is stitched, it may atsome suitable portion of its surface be cemented to the lining or upper.By bevelling or skiving down the edge of the pad, as shown at Ill weprevent the formation of any abrupt shoulder which would be visible inthe vamp of the shoe.

Except for the presence of the inserted pad or cushion, the remainder ofthe shoe may have any usual or well known construction. As here shown,the shoe is illustrated as a welt shoe having an outsole 8 stitched tothe welt l in accordance with the usual practice, the welt together withbeing filled with a plastic filler 6.

the edges of the upper and lining being stitched to the insole channelor lip by the seams 9, the space between the insole 5 and the outsole 8Experience has shown that this soft insert, located between the seamattaching the forward edges of the quarters l2 to the vamp I and therear portion of the toe cap 2, completely remedies the long standingtrouble due to the wrinkling or creasing of the vamp at this point.

What we claim is:

1. A protective device for a shoe that has a vamp, a lining and anattached bottom, comprising a strip of relatively soft yielding materialinterposed between that portion of the vamp located over and forwardlyof the ball joint at the inner side of the foot and the correspondingportion of the lining, said strip being held in position againstdisplacement by a line of stitches directly securing it to the bottommember of the shoe.

2. In a shoe having vamp, lining and bottom members, a pressureabsorbing pad of loosely felted textile fibers interposed between thevamp and the lining, the bottom portion of said pad being attached tothe shoe by the in-seam soleattaohing stitches and located to extendaround the inside ball joint of an inserted foot and across the topthereof to approximately the medial 1ongitudinal line of the foot, saidpad being provided with perforations to facilitate drying out ofmoisture.

3. Foot protecting means for a shoe of the type having vamp, lining andbottom members, comprising a soft pad of yielding felt interposedbetween the vamp and the lining to subtend that portion of the shoesubtending the ball joint forwardly of the instep, said pad beingsecured directly to the bottom member of the shoe by stitching andhaving its periphery bevelled to a thin edge.

LAURIE S. MACDONALD. JOSEPH E. SMALL.

